There's a Dinosaur on the 13≥Th Floor

The outcome is anything but predictable when an exhausted hotel guest sets out in search of sleep in this kid-pleasing romp full of visual humor. THERE’S A DINOSAUR ON THE 13≥TH FLOOR Wade Bradford ~ illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Will Mr. Snore ever get some shut-eye at the busy Sharemore Hotel? The room on the first floor is too noisy. The room on the second floor is too crowded. The room on the third floor is too damp. verywhereE Mr. Snore goes, with a dutiful bellhop leading the way, he encounters something that’s bound to keep him awake. Why is it so hard to find some peace and quiet? Perhaps Mr. Snore will have better luck on the thirteenth floor. . . .

From author and playwright Wade Bradford and award-winning illustrator Kevin Hawkes comes a laugh-out-loud tale that plays with expectations — and reveals a surprising final twist.

HC: 978-0-7636-8665-9 $16.99 ($19.99 CAN) Ages 4–8 • 32 pages

What was the inspiration for There’s a Dinosaur on the 13th Floor?

WADE BRADFORD: I have always loved big old hotels, the more unusual the better. Hotel Sharemore is definitely unusual, and unlike Mr. Snore, I think I would love being a guest.

Is there a real-life Mr. Snore?

WB: I think when we become sleep deprived, there’s a little Mr. Snore in all of us.

Do you see yourself in any of the characters in the book?

WB: I see myself as the bellhop character. He is very friendly and eager to please others — and he’s a bit naive. For better or worse, that might be me. The bellhop is surprised when Mr. Snore has no interest in spending time with the other guests. Many times, when I see someone being very cranky, my reaction is similar to the bellhop’s. I’m surprised when the Mr. Snores of the world choose not to see how many opportunities we have to make friends with others.

What kinds of stories inspired the illustrations in There’s a Dinosaur on the 13th Floor?

KEVIN HAWKES: I’ve always loved stories about animals in unusual settings. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater, Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff, A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer, and Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg were some of my favorite books when I was a kid.

There are so many great background moments in the book, from the snakes wrapped around the column to the little mouse who is slowly making its way through the oranges. Do you have a favorite?

KH: I like Mr. Snore’s clothing. He wears a bow tie with his pajamas. He’s a little uptight, but then there are those bunny slippers. . . . He does have a playful side. I’m also fond of the hamster on the chandelier in the lobby. How did he get there?

For any real-life Mr. Snores, do you have any tried-and-true advice for falling asleep?

WB: Repeat to yourself: I’m not going to fall asleep, I’m not going to fall asleep, I’m not going to . . . Zzzzzzz. Reverse psychology works every time!

KH: When I was a kid, the sound of an electric motor could always put me to sleep. A fan, an airplane going overhead, or a vacuum (especially if there was work to be done) would always do the trick. Even now, if I can’t sleep, turning on a fan helps.

We’re going to ask the most personal question of all : Do you snore?

WB: Yes, I am embarrassed to admit it. I snore! I didn’t believe my wife when she told me. But then one night she recorded the sounds I sometimes make when I’m asleep. I sounded surprisingly similar to Darth Vader!

KH: My wife, Karen, and I disagree on this point. I say, “Never.” She says, “Always!” I’ve never HEARD myself snore! What can I say?

Illustration copyright © 2018 by Kevin Hawkes Wade Bradford teaches English at Moorpark College and is the author of the picture books Why Do I Have to Make My Bed? and Around the World in a Bathtub. He has also written more than thirty-five plays. Wade Bradford lives in southern California, where he enjoys napping, snoozing, and occasionally snoring.

Kevin Hawkes is the illustrator of many books for children, including the award-winning Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen; A Little Bitty Man and Other Poems for the Very Young by Halfdan Rasmussen, translated by Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espeland; and The Three Mouths of Little Tom Drum by Nancy Willard. Kevin Hawkes lives with his family in southern Maine.